


And Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Now

by kaceywithak



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: A little sadness but a lot more fluff, Avengers Secret Santa 2014, Christmas fic, M/M, Sick!Mrs. Rogers, Tony and Steve act like blushing teens, a little bit of Superfamily, getting back together fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 05:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2801066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaceywithak/pseuds/kaceywithak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My Secret Santa gift for a-less-ordinary-life</p>
<p>Like all good stories, it starts with a phone call that changes everything.</p>
<p>Or, that time where Bucky Barnes of all people finally got Tony to come home and Steve may be a decade older but he hasn't changed a bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Now

**Author's Note:**

> This turned out so much longer than expected but I couldn't stop! It's my first long Stony fic and I'm a little nervous. My tumblr is starks-and-mellarks if you ever want to stop by and fangirl. 
> 
> Happy Holidays everyone!

Like all good stories, it starts with a phone call that changes everything.

 

Tony doesn’t recognize the number, but he _does r_ ecognize the area code and his stomach does a weird swoop thing that is completely unfitting for the twenty-nine year old genius. He contemplates answering for there rings and on the fourth he hits “answer” because…well he has no reason why he does, just that he does. 

 

“Stark.” His tone is more stable than his nerves. 

 

“Someone sounds professional.” And of all of the people calling from that area code, Bucky Barnes was the _last_ person Tony expected to hear from. 

 

“ _Barnes?_ ” 

 

“Yep.” Tony’s stomach does another drop because a call from Bucky Barnes could only mean one thing. 

 

“Is he…oh Jesus, please tell me he’s okay, I…” Tony trails on and his left hand raises to clutch his shirt.

 

“Steve’s alive.” Bucky’s voice changes, just a bit and if Tony would focus on anything other than calming his erratic heart, he would note Bucky sounds pleased that Tony is so worried. 

 

“Okay. Okay.” Tony takes a deep breath and sinks onto the old couch in his lab. 

 

“It’s his Ma. She’s…” his throat tightens. “She’s not doin’ so good. Steve’s tryin’ the best he can to take care of her but she’s goin’ soon.”

 

Tony runs a hand through his hair and lets out a long sigh. Sarah Rogers (or ‘Mama Rogers’ as she had become when he sixteen) was Steve’s _world._ Smart, spunky and kind to a fault, Sarah raised Steve on her own and worked double shifts as a nurse to make sure he had everything he needed. Tony hadn’t seen her in over a decade but every so often he would find himself remembering her warm hugs. 

 

“Fuck.” Tony mutters. “What can I do?”

 

“You can come here.” Tony expects Bucky to askfor money for a good hospital ( _God knows Steve never would_ ), not to travel to a town he had purposely avoided for the past eleven years.

 

“That’s probably not-“

 

“You think I’d be calling you up and asking you to come back he didn’t need you here?” Bucky sounds annoyed. “Fuck the last ten years, you’re both idiots anyway, but you should be here.”

 

“I can’t just show up on his doorstep, Barnes. He’s going to think-“

 

“That you care.” Bucky cuts him off. “So if you care, come out here and Barton will get you from the airport. The rental car place went bankrupt. If you don’t care, stay wherever the hell you are and keep being an idiot. Whatever.” He cuts the phone off and Tony throws his own cell onto the table in front of him. 

 

There are a lot of reasons not to go. He is in the middle of extremely important designs for Stane Enterprises, where he was the head of Research and Development, Weapons Division. He has a hundred Christmas party invites and already had his assistant Pepper line up dates for him. He hates his hometown. He hates flying at this time of year. 

 

But there was one reason to go and that reason trumps all others.

 

Steve.

 

—

 

Clint Barton meets him at baggage claim with a sign that says “Stark (Sucks!)”. 

 

“Nice to see you learned how to spell.” Tony deadpans and Clint cracks a grin and takes off his stupid sunglasses. 

 

“What did that suit run you, two hundred bucks?”

 

“Jackass,” Tony laughs and the two old friends hug.

 

Clint’s truck is old and there are multiple hula-dancing figurines stuck to the dashboard. Christmas carols play through the fuzzy radio and Clint starts talking about what everyone has been up to. 

 

Clint and Natasha are the “best bartenders in the state” and work at Coulson’s, the best of the five bars in town. Clint admits they are a bit “on and off again” and are currently in the gray area of it, but they ditch the drama when it comes time to work together and bring home plenty of tips. 

 

Thor, the over-friendly Norwegian exchange student who never left town, ended up dating Jane Foster, their chemistry teacher, after graduation. The two are now married with two kids and another on the way and Thor coaches soccer (which he still refers to as football) for the high school. 

 

Bruce Banner comes back into town once or twice a year but he teaches at a college a few hours away and busies himself working in the lab. The last time Clint talked to him, he said he met a nice girl named Betty and was looking forward to taking her out. 

 

“Well…when’s the last time you talked to Steve?” Clint asks as he taps his fingers against the steering wheel and glances sideways at Tony. Tony stares out the window and tries to keep his expression neutral. 

 

“Not since we…ended it.” 

 

_“I’m telling you Steve, it can work! Okay, I’m in at MIT which, yes, is a little far but that’s why phones are invented! And I hear they are making cell phones even cheaper so it’ll be perfect because you can get one and we’ll call each other every night-“_

 

_“Tony,” Steve’s voice was far more pained than any eighteen year old had a right to be. “I don’t think they allow cell phones in the army.”_

 

_“So I’ll work on my penmanship and send you letters like that stupid Pearl Harbor movie we saw last year—which, I might add, was literally the most historically inaccurate-“_

 

_“I’m not going to have you sitting around waiting for letters Tony, you have a whole life to live. You’ll be in college and be making new friends-“_

 

_“I don’t need new friends, I have like five. Which is far more than_ actually _needed anyway.”_

 

_“Tony.” And Tony’s heart sunk because he_ knew _that tone on Steve, he knew exactly what it meant. Steve was a wonderful, kind and understanding person but when he was set on an idea he was dead-set on it. He was possibly the only person who could out-stubborn Tony._

 

_“Please don’t do this.” Tony could feel his throat closing up and Steve looked on the verge of tears, but he continued._

 

_“Tony, I love you. So much. And I hope that we can find a way back to each other one day. It’s just…” He blinks rapidly and Tony feels the world shift because this beautiful boy, his_ Steve _is leaving and there’s nothing he can do. “I can’t hold you back from living the life you’re meant to live-“_

 

_“I’m meant to be with_ you! _” God, he’s pathetic but it’s worth a shot. Steve wipes his eyes with his left hand and takes a step further, kissing Tony lightly on the forehead._

 

_“You’re going to change the world Tony Stark. You’ll see.”_

 

“Well, then this will be interesting.” Clint interrupts Tony’s flashback. 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“See, Bucky is currently convincing Steve he needs a night out, to escape the house just for a few hours. Nat is gonna look after Mrs. R while Bucky takes Steve to the bar…that you and I will be going to.”

 

“Could you and Barnes be any more ridiculous?” Tony groans and tries to focus on how annoying Clint is rather than how nervous he is about seeing Steve again. 

 

After they broke up, Tony would dial the numbers to Steve’s house before quickly hanging up. He tried to forget when he went away to MIT: he went to parties, had more hookups than he could count and threw himself into his engineering major, graduating in three years at the top of his class. 

 

But thoughts of Steve would sneak up on him, like when he had too much coffee and would remember how Steve would always tease him about being his little Energizer bunny. Or when he would see a fit person jogging and remember how Steve once took him on a jog and Tony threw up on a random lawn because Steve ran like a freakin' cheetah. 

 

Mostly Tony would think of Steve and his heart would twist and he would let out a deep breath and mutter ’it was for the best anyway.’

 

When Tony’s parents retired to Florida when he was twenty there was never any reason to go back home, never any reason to keep in touch. But as Clint drove him through the town the familiar feeling of being home still settled in him and he shook his head. 

 

“Jesus, does anything change around here?” They drove past Police Captain Fury’s house which had a snowman with an eyepatch keeping guard in front of it.

 

“Nah. Town’s too cute and too stubborn to change. Kind of like two other people I know.” He waggles his eyebrows at Tony and Tony wonders if there is any way he can convince Clint to let him check into a hotel, bail on everything and fly back to LA tomorrow.

 

—

 

Clint has a roommate named Kate Bishop who takes one look at Tony and says “you seem taller in the tabloids”. 

 

The three of them eat a dinner of pizza (four of them, if you include the dog stealing slices) and Tony changes his outfit twice before he and Clint head to Coulson’s. 

 

Tony sees the back of his head, recognizes him instantly and wonders if there’s still a chance he can make a break for it. His breathing becomes shallow and he doesn’t notice Bucky waving at Clint but Steve does, of course Steve does, and he turns around and-

 

They lock eyes and Tony’s world shifts again, in the way it hasn’t since the last time they say each other. _How is that pull still there?_ The magnetic pull towards Steve he tried to convince himself was just teenage puppy love because he never once felt it with another person. But it takes only a second of looking at Steve for Tony to realize trying to convince himself it was puppy love was useless and trying to convince himself he was over Steve was pointless.

 

“Tony?” He has been so busy staring into Steve’s eyes and thinking about how screwed he was that he didn’t realize Steve was getting closer until he stood six inches in front of him.

 

“Uh, Merry Christmas.” _What the hell is wrong with me_. Tony winces because of course _that_ is what he blurts out but the corner of Steve’s mouth lifts into a sort of smile. 

 

“I’m shake up some drinks.” Clint ducks behind the bar and leaves the pair of them staring awkwardly at each other. What an ass. 

 

“You’re here.” Steve says and there’s still a hint of a question in his voice, as if he doesn’t really believe Tony is standing there. Tony doesn’t blame him: growing up Tony made his distaste for their town very obvious. “I mean,” Steve slightly blushes and raises his right hand to rub the back of his neck.

 

Tony smiles: it’s been over a decade and Steve’s nervous habits have stayed the same. 

 

“I mean it’s good you’re here. It’s nice.” Steve finishes and Tony nods. 

 

“What the hell is on your face?” Bucky Barnes’ gruff voice cuts off their moment ( _another thing that has apparently stayed the same_ ). 

 

“It’s called a Van Dyke.” Tony resists the urge to reach up and smooth down his goatee. 

 

“Is that code for freaky goatee?” 

 

“At least my hair doesn’t hit my shoulders.” Tony retorts and Bucky smiles and runs a hand through his long hair. He had always kept it short during high school.

 

“Don’t ask what’s in them, thank me later.” Clint slides three tall glasses across the bar and lifts his own.”To Christmas!”

 

They all cheers glasses and Tony takes a sip of his drink. He tastes hard cider and cinnamon whiskey and something else he can’t quite put his finger on (which is very annoying because he considers himself a very well educated drinker). 

 

It’s almost funny how easily they slip into their old routine with Bucky and Tony making digs at each other and Clint telling ridiculous stories that can’t possibly all be true.

 

Not to mention every time he catches Steve starting at him Steve blushes and looks away. It’s freshman year all over again. 

 

After their second round of Clint’s Christmas Creation (he names it himself) Steve surprises Tony by asking if he wants to go on a quick walk. 

 

They step out into the brisk night and Tony tugs his coat closer around him. Steve notices and smiles.

 

“I guess the winter is a little different here than in California.” He says causally. Tony’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Your ma and mine stayed close, even after your parents moved.”

 

“Oh.” Tony kicks a patch of ice and shoves his hands deeper in his pocket. “I uh…” _He is really awful with this emotional stuff_. “I’m sorry about your mom.” He glances up at Steve just in time to see a look of pain shoot across his face. 

 

“Who told you?” He asks quietly. 

 

“Barnes. Called me a couple days ago.” Tony bit his lip and Steve asks the question Tony had hoped to avoid. 

 

“Is that why you’re out here?”

 

Honesty isn’t exactly Tony’s strong suit but he never could lie to Steve Rogers.

 

“Yes.” They stop walking and face each other. 

 

“You didn’t have to do that, Tony.” And he knows him well enough to know Steve is desperately trying to keep something from him. 

 

“Maybe not.” Tony shrugs. “But I did. And I’m here. Take it or leave it.”

 

It’s a five second stand off that feels like five years before the left corner of Steve’s mouth lifts.

 

“I’ll take it.”

 

“Smart move, Cap.” It falls from Tony’s lips so easily and Steve actually barks out a laugh. 

 

“Jesus Tony, I haven’t been captain of the football team in eleven years!” 

 

They fall into a more comfortable and natural rhythm after that. Really, it should scare Tony how they pick up where they left off with no resentment and the conversation flows without a problem. But it’s Steve. Tony’s tendency to not get too close, to not let people in always seemed to make an exception for Steve.

 

Tony learns Steve and Bucky shipped out for the army a few weeks after Tony left for MIT. They fought overseas together for five years, but on their last tour of Iraq there was an explosion and Bucky’s arm got blown off. (Tony hadn’t noticed the metal prosthetic but was certain he could make a better one.)

 

Bucky was sent to a hospital and Steve nearly went crazy finishing out the tour. He made a friend named Sam who helped him focus and he was finally able to bring Bucky back home nearly a year after the accident. 

 

“It was a rough recovery process.” Steve explains. “He was just so angry. Ma helped a lot too, Bucky actually stayed with us because his sister and her boyfriend moved back in with his parents when she got pregnant. But he’s better.”

 

He also learns Steve and Bucky got jobs at the local mechanic fixing up cars and Steve was thinking about leaving for New York to finally study art. And then his mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. He quit his job two months ago when it took a turn for the worse and takes care of her full time. 

 

Tony doesn’t ask, but he suspects most of Steve’s GI bill has gone straight to her medical care. 

 

Steve asks about Tony and he tells him after finishing MIT he got an offer with Stane Industries and moved up the ranks pretty quickly. He has a house in Malibu, a great collection of cars and an assistant that drives him crazy, though he probably wouldn't survive without her. 

 

“I saw you on a magazine.” Steve admits and he rubs the back of his neck again. “It was a few years ago, you were named the Prince of Weapons.” 

 

Tony winces, his boss Obadiah Stane had already named himself as the ‘King of Weapons’ but it was Tony’s work with trying to find smarter and greener ways to build them that attracted attention that year. 

 

“I bought it and read it. I couldn’t understand half of what you were saying but I could imagine you talking about it.” He gives him a smile that’s almost shy and (because Tony Stark is Tony Stark) he blurts out his next sentence:

 

“I hacked into government files to make sure you were still alive.” He doesn’t tell him he did it every month until he saw Steve had been honorably discharged (he also doesn’t tell him Tony was convinced he left the army because he found a guy or girl to start a family with and Tony drank half a whiskey bottle that night).

 

“That’s very illegal and kind of sweet.” Steve shakes his head and Tony shrugs. 

 

“That’s me, Tony Stark: Prince of Weapons, part-time hacker, notice I said hacker and not stalker, and kind of sweet to blonde super soldiers.” _Super_ cute _soldiers_ he thinks. 

 

“Do you like making weapons?” Only Steve could ask a blunt question with sincerity. They turn a corner and Tony narrowly avoids an icy patch. 

 

“I’m good at it.” Tony shrugs.

 

“That’s not what I asked.” _Still as stubborn as ever_. Tony doesn’t know what to answer, no one has ever questioned his career choice, and Steve continues. “I’m not asking if you like the money or the popularity or the fact you can make things go boom.” Tony gives him a wry smile and has a feeling Steve is remembering their sophomore year chemistry class. “I’m asking if you really like it.”

 

“I’d like to do something with clean energy.” He says it softly because it’s a secret he’s never shared. “I think I figured out a way to do it. I made a mini arc reactor, it’s kind of this thing that can power something without fuel for a really long time. Anyway, if I made a big one I could probably power my house, maybe a high rise tower. I think I could do it. And maybe the world needs less things that go boom and more things that can actually help. I’d have to take on the oil companies.” His face brightens. “Oh, that would be _such_ fun!”

 

He turns to Steve and finds the man staring at him with an expression he hadn’t seen from another person in years. Its part admiration, part fascination and Tony knows Steve is genuinely interested in what he has to say. Steve used to listen to him babble on about robotics and machines and never once did Tony feel like he was being an annoyance.

 

“I always knew you could change the world.” Steve tells him earnestly. “Bout time you started believing it too.”

 

It takes a lot to shut Tony Stark up. That sentence did.

 

Before either of them is really ready for it, they end up circling back to the bar and they dawdle outside the entrance. 

 

“Do you want to come over my house tomorrow?” Steve asks and god if Tony didn’t feel like a teenager before he _definitely_ did now. 

 

“I’ll bring breakfast.” If there was one thing Tony missed about the east coast, it was the way they did bagels. “How does nine o’clock sound?”

 

“It sounds good.” They both blush like the twenty-nine year old idiots they are.

 

They spend the rest of the night standing next to each other, talking to Clint and Bucky and a few other friends from their hometown. Every so often Steve would move or turn his head and Tony would get a whiff of his aftershave and almost melt into a puddle. 

 

It’s a little before midnight when Steve decides to call it a night and he and Bucky wave goodbye to everyone. Steve’s gaze lingers on Tony.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Tony nods and Steve smiles. “I’m glad you’re back.”

 

—

 

The first thing Tony notices when he pulls up to the Rogers house is the snowman in the front yard. 

 

“Typical.” He is tempted to take a picture, but worries Steve will chose that moment to look out the window and he’ll be caught. He already confessed to enough stalking. 

 

Steve greets him at the door with a warm smile. 

 

“Good morning.” 

 

“And what a good morning it is.” Tony takes off his sunglasses and winks at Steve who rolls his eyes. “There’s a bagel with your name on it, Rogers.”

 

“Well then come in,” Steve steps back and lets Tony inside. 

 

Not much has changed. There’s a few more pictures and new carpet in the front hall but the house still smell like vanilla and immediately relaxes Tony. This house was always more of his home.

 

“Ma is awake and in the living room.” Steve gestures. “If you want to go say hi, I can toast these.” He takes the brown bag from Tony’s hands and the genius takes a deep breath before he pokes his head around the corner.

 

“Tony!” Sarah Roger’s eyes, the same blue as her son’s, soften and Tony’s throat closes at the sight. 

 

Her skin is a pasty shade of white and even though she is under multiple blankets Tony can see how frail she has gotten. 

 

“Hi Mama Rogers,” He doesn’t even think about it, he crosses the room and sits down on the couch. He reaches for her hand but she pulls him in so his face rests on her shoulder. 

 

“Welcome back, Tony.” His breath hitches and he feels tears well up in his eyes. “I’ve missed you.”

 

“I’m sorry it took me so long.” 

 

“It’s okay,” she slowly runs a hand though his hair. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters, dear.”

 

They stay like that until Steve comes in with a coffee mug for Tony and tea for his mother. Tony slightly straightens but he doesn't leave Sarah’s side. 

 

“The bagels are almost finished toasting.” Steve hands Tony his coffee. “You think you’re up for a plain bagel, Ma?”

 

“Plain bagels are awful, Steven.” She rolls her eyes and Tony snorts. “What other choices are there.”

 

“He brought blueberry, everything and sesame.” Steve grins on the last one and Tony feels a strange sense of pride that he still knows Steve’s favorite bagel. 

 

Sarah decides on blueberry and Tony takes the everything and the three have a nice morning of catching up. Tony tells them about his first earthquake in LA (“ _I thought I was just hungover!_ ”) and Sarah almost makes coffee come out of Tony’s nose when she describes Steve and Bucky trying to put the angel on top of her Christmas tree. 

 

Every so often a look of pain flashes across her face and Steve tenses and Tony hates it. He hates that the one real mother he ever had is in pain and he hates that Steve had to watch. 

 

Sarah starts to drift off around eleven and Steve took her into her room for a nap. Tony busies himself with cleaning the breakfast dishes but his throat still felt prickley and his eyes won’t stop watering.

 

“She’s so happy to see you.” Tony doesn’t look up from scrubbing the plate when Steve comes in. He walks up next to him and Tony scrubs fast and blinks harder but Steve sees his face anyway. “Oh, Tony.” He says softly and Tony throws the utensils and sponge in the sink and turns to Steve.

 

Steve wraps his arms around him and Tony takes shaky breaths, trying to stop the sadness that threatens to overwhelm him. 

 

“It’s not fucking fair.” Instead of being sad, Tony goes for angry. “It’s not fucking fair Steve.”

 

“I know.” Steve’s voice is pained and Tony is reminded that it’s Steve who is loosing the mother and he wants to build a robot just so it can kick his own ass.

 

“I’m such a selfish jackass.” He’s disgusted with himself and Steve pulls back, frowning. 

 

“No you’re not. Tony it means so much you came back to see her-“

 

“It wasn’t just for her.” _If you’re going to act crazy, might as well do it all of the way_. “I told myself it was because I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Tony finally meets Steve’s gaze. “But I wanted to see you.”

 

Steve doesn’t say anything, but he pulls Tony in for another hug. The water in the sink is still running but all else is quiet and Tony calms his breathing while getting a nice whiff of Steve’s shirt. 

 

_How did he ever convince himself he was over this guy?_

 

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” They break apart and Tony shuts the sink off. 

 

“It’s Christmas Eve, Tony.”

 

“Really?” Tony makes a puzzled face and glances at the advent calendar hanging about the sink. Sure enough, the spot for the 24th of December is opened. “You know,” He hopes it’s not obvious he is inviting himself but he doesn’t want to leave Steve just yet. Or ever. “I don’t remember the last time I frosted a Christmas cookie.”

 

“We’ll have to change that.”

 

—

 

“That looks awful, Stark.” 

 

“It does not! It looks like a snowman!” Tony picks his cookie up and shoves it in Clint’s face. 

 

“It looks like a marshmallow.” Natasha’s voice picks up and Tony groans.

 

Clint, Bucky and Natasha arrived after lunch and the five of them get to work. They spread wax paper across the living room coffee table and have been decorating sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles since. 

 

Tony catches Sarah’s eye more than once as she looks lovingly around at the group. The five of them (as well as Bruce and Thor) adore her and for many years she was the only parental figure and source of comfort in any of their lives. 

 

In a way, the whole day is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. 

 

“Did you seriously make a Santa with a goatee?” Bucky points at Steve’s cookie and Steve shoves him away. 

 

“I think it looks nice.” Steve says and he looks up and catches Tony’s eye. Both of them immediately look away and Clint starts to cackle. 

 

“Like a bunch of third grade girls.”

 

“Wasn’t it third grade where I hit you so hard with a dodgeball you cried?” Natasha has a way of saying something calmly but it sounds deadly. 

 

Clint shuts up after that. 

 

“I think all of the cookies look special in their own way.” Sarah offers.

 

“See, there’s the support!” Tony beams at her and she laughs until her laugh turns into a violent cough and Natasha quickly brings her water.

 

“Do you need something more, Ma?” Steve asks and he sounds worried. “I can take you to bed-“

 

“It’s four o’clock on Christmas Eve, Steven, I am not going to bed yet.” She’s stern and Tony is reminded of where Steve’s stubbornness comes from. Steve holds her gaze and finally turns away and starts to collect the trays the cookies were baked on. He takes them to the kitchen without another word and the friends look at each other. 

 

“Let me?” Tony asks and Bucky nods. 

 

Steve is clutching the countertop taking deep breaths when Tony approaches him. 

 

“I’m fine.” He gets out through his teeth. 

 

“Alright.” Tony offers and he stands next to Steve, leaning against the counter. 

 

“I really am, Tony.” He sounds annoyed but Tony doesn’t let it bother him. 

 

“Alright.”

 

“I’m _fine_. I am.” He starts to sound tired, not annoyed, and Tony tentatively reaches his hand out to rub small circles on Steve’s muscular back. “I know she’s not getting better.” He says quietly. “But I hate that she’s getting worse.”

 

Tony’s not sure what to say so he keeps rubbing Steve’s back and slowly the blonde starts to relax. 

 

“She keeps telling me to not be afraid. That I can miss her, but she’ll be fine.” Steve turns to look at Tony. “What about me though? I won’t be fine at all.”

 

“That’s why you have us.” There’s a promise in Tony’s voice and Steve’s face changes, showing the emotion he was trying to hold back the night before. 

 

Hope. 

 

“I’m here Steve.” Tony assures him. 

 

“As a friend?” Steve bites the inside of his lip and Tony runs a hand through his hair. 

 

“I’ve got a track record for being a terrible friend. But I’m willing to try. Friends?”

 

“Friends.” Steve repeats.

 

Tony may not have a lot of friends, but he is pretty sure friends aren’t supposed to stare at their friends lips. Or slightly lean in to each other, close enough so their foreheads nearly touch.

 

And friends definitely don't jump away from each other like they’ve been caught when someone else walks in the room ( _Damnit, Barton.)_

 

“Mrs. R would like to remind you to heat the oven for dinner.” Natasha had cooked dinner and brought it over to the house to warm up when they were ready. “And she wants to talk to you, Stark. Alone.” He obnoxiously wiggles his eyebrows.

 

Tony passes Bucky and Natasha on his way back to the living room. Sarah is propped up by pillows and admiring Steve’s plate of cookies. 

 

“Good thing it wasn’t a competition.” Tony sits next to her and she smiles. 

 

“The Santa with the goatee looks very familiar, doesn’t it?”

 

“Maybe I’m starting a trend.” It’s a lame attempt at deflection and Sarah doesn’t take the bait. 

 

“You know, when he ended it with you two it’s because he believed in you so much. He wanted you to succeed and the stubborn fool convinced himself he would only hold you back.”

 

“He wouldn’t have.” Tony shakes his head. “I’m not mad at him for it, not anymore.” It was possibly the one grudge Tony didn’t hold. “But I don’t think he would have held me back.”

 

“No, he probably would not have. And I don’t think you will hold him back either.” She has a knowing look on her face and a crease forms between Tony’s eyebrows. 

 

“I don’t think I-“

 

“This is my last Christmas with Steve.” She says it like it’s the truth and though it likely is, Tony’s gut reaction is to deny it. To believe in some sort of miracle that would save her and she would be fine, she would be healthy and she would be _here._  

 

Sarah continues on.

 

“Not everyone gets a love like you boys. And I’m not saying a love like you ‘had’ because we all know it’s still there. You both know it too.” She takes Tony’s hand and looks right into his eyes. “I always knew you two would find your way back to each other.”

 

“Do you really think it could work?” Tony asks, deciding it was okay if he allowed himself the fantasy for a minute. It was Christmas after all. 

 

“Tony, darling,” She says with a smile. “It already works.” 

 

Tears prick at Tony’s eyes again but he nods. 

 

“Yeah…” he thinks of the last twenty-four hours: how he and Steve slipped right back into the comfortable closeness they always had, how neither of them had to rehash the past. How Tony still gets damn butterflies in his stomach when Steve smiles a certain way and how no one has ever made Tony feel loved quite like Steve can. 

 

“This doesn’t have to be _your_ last Christmas with Steve.” She says with a little twinkle in her eye and suddenly Tony knows exactly what to do.

 

He gets up and kisses Sarah on the forehead and marches to the kitchen. Tony is never one to have a particular plan but when he makes his mind up he is a man on a mission.

 

Which explains why he marches right up to Steve (who turns from the soup just in time), grabs either side of his face and kisses him.

 

It’s even better than he remembers. Steve’s lips are soft and waste no time in parting so Tony can have full access to his mouth. They are perfectly in sync and Steve’s hand wraps around to pull Tony flush against his body. 

 

When they have to break apart for air, Steve leans his forehead down to touch Tony’s and they both let out happy sighs. Steve chuckles and presses another small kiss against Tony’s lips.

 

“Was that my Christmas gift?”

 

—

 

Years later on Christmas Eve in a penthouse that overlooked the New York City skyline, Steve Stark-Rogers sits with a five year old boy on his lap. The boy is icing cookies while they listen to a story being told by Tony Stark-Rogers ( _who couldn’t tell a short story to save his life_ ). 

 

“Ew, _kissing_?” Peter scrunches up his nose. 

 

“Of course there was kissing!” Tony exclaims, stirring marshmallows into three mugs of hot chocolate. “I had to make sure your pops still loved me after all of those years.”

 

“Did you?” Peter leans his head back to look at Steve.

 

“Of course I did.” Steve plants a wet kiss on Peter’s forehead. 

 

“Is that why Uncle Bucky is my godfather? Cause he helped bring you two back together?” 

 

“No,” Tony grins. “Uncle Bucky is your godfather because he lost a very hilarious completion with Clint.” Steve gives him a look and Tony supposes the tale of “The Godfather Games” (which included multiple drinking contests, a wrestling contest and a very reckless trampoline contest) was not appropriate for his son. Yet.

 

“Like what?” Peter asks and Tony pushes a mug of hot chocolate across the table to him and ruffles his hair. 

 

“Sorry squirt. That story is for another holiday.”

 

 


End file.
